Responding to schools minister Nick Gibb’s pledge to publish full school building condition data before the end of the summer recess, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“It is important that there is transparency about potential safety risks in schools.

“Of course, publishing the data is only the first step and, by itself, does not solve the problem. This data needs to be followed by an ambitious plan and major new government investment in school repairs and rebuilding.

"Capital funding for school buildings has been halved in real terms, and only 50 schools a year now benefit from the government’s school rebuilding programme.

“Continued failure to act with the necessary urgency risks putting the lives of children and school staff at risk.”

The pledge was made yesterday evening during an Opposition Day Debate in Parliament on the safety of school buildings in which Labour attempted to force the government to publish data from surveys of schools buildings carried out between 2017 and 2019 by June 5. MPs voted 296-171 to reject that proposal.